I am writing this blog because I’d like to share my experience and passion for gardening, cooking and eating with you.
I am a certified California Master Gardener and gardened (ornamental and veggies) in Oakland for 28 years. 11 years ago we purchased land and a weekend escape home in Fort Bragg, CA. And, just over 3 years ago we retired, sold our Oakland home, and moved up the to the coast full time. We live in a sunny clearing the middle of a redwood forest. We have several raised beds for vegetables and large island beds for flowers. The property came with mature rhododendrons, some of them now over 8 feet high. I look forward to them blooming each spring. I have been involved with the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens since we purchased the property in Fort Bragg and two years ago I was honored to join the Board. It’s an amazing botanical garden; I encourage you to visit if you ever come to the North coast of California.
Both sides of my family have always gardened, although I didn’t discover my own passion until we purchased our first home 30 years ago. I have fond memories of playing as a child in my grandparent’s large garden outside London. Each spring I grow sweet peas in memory and honor of my grandmother. Their scent is my direct connection to her. In Florida my father had a large plot on an empty lot next to the house. After I moved to the West coast in my late 20s, he always waited until I flew home at Christmas to let me help dig the potatoes. It seemed like a treasure hunt. I recommend growing potatoes to anyone with small children.
As for cooking, my English born mother was educated in France, studied at the Cordon Bleu and took classes from Julia Child. She is my muse and mentor. In her 50s she started and ran a successful traditional French cooking school. I learned by watching, being her sous chef, and eventually teaching classes with her. I love to cook for family and friends. And although I am comfortable cooking classical French food, I find that I prefer simple, fresh and seasonal recipes using produce from my own garden or the farmer’s market.
My crooked career path has taken me from the microbiology lab into biotech, where I worked for both U.S. and international companies. Extensive travel was often part of the job. But even with a busy schedule, I have managed to grow a few varieties of fresh vegetables in my kitchen garden. Sometimes an hour a week was all I had between spending time with my family, attending my son’s sporting events, and catching up on household chores. I have some tips which might be helpful to you in starting even a tiny garden. Here as you’ll find ideas for fun and stress free cooking, eating, and entertaining. I invite you along on the journey.
I am married and live with my husband and three active Australian Shepherds; Casey, Quinn, and Shanna (also called the ladies).
Hi, I have just nominated you for Liebster Award on my blog https://woodkitchen.wordpress.com/ Check it out!
Thank you, I am honored!
Hi Liz – I just found you via a post on Elaine’s blog. Great blog name, look forward to following you!
Thank you for visiting and following. I have pinned your recipe for spicy plum sauce. We have “wild” plum trees around our house and they produce small plums the size of cherries. I’m always looking for ways to use them, it’s a short season when we have a glut of them. I hate to see them go to waste or to the deer.
Thanks for stopping by my blog. I may follow up with you later as I have been having gardening troubles for the past 2 summers. I used to have a great little garden, as you can see in one of my earlier posts, then it started to get eaten and shaded, arg!
Trees are my problem as well. Gardens change over the years. I’d be glad to help.
Hi Liz, I enjoyed reading your About page. We have a love of cooking and gardening in common. We try to grow sweet peas (as well as vegetables) every year here in Arizona. They are one of my favorite flowers. We have also had fun with potatoes the past couple years. You are so right – they are a lot of fun to grow, and seem to do well here. Thanks so much for stopping by my blog. I look forward to following yours!
THE LIEBSTER AWARD!!
Hi there, I have been discovering your blog and have enjoyed it. As a result, I would like to know a little more about you. Thus, I have nominated you for The “Liebster Award!”
I would not be surprised if you’ve been nominated before, but if you’re like me, you never get tired of being acknowledged! Please follow the link to –
https://foodforthesoul00.wordpress.com/2015/07/03/thank-you-for-the-liebster-award/
Hello Zeba, thank you so much for the nomination! You are right, it feels wonderful to be recognized. Congratulations on your own award. Because I am now working full time and traveling quite a bit for my job, the work involved with various awards has not been a priority. That could change if I “retire” later this year or sometime next. Meanwhile, thank you again and I appreciate your nomination. If you personally have questions for me, ask away!
Hi Liz, I just found your blog via Fiesta Friday. I’m happy to have found yours and now following It! 🙂
Linda.
Thank you! Fiesta Friday is an amazing community isn’t it? I love your’s as well.
I agree with you!
Nice to have found your blog this evening Liz. Wonderful bits of goodness here. 🙂
And I am glad to have found your own, I have the same types of beautiful silver serving pieces you picture on your “about” page. All are inherited from my grandparents and treasured. I am now following you.
I was just leaving you a comment on your turkey meatloaf! 🙂 How wonderful you own a set of silver serving pieces! I would love to own a set…great to “meet”you.
Hello Liz. Though I am a year round veggie gardener in Phoenix Arizona. I am not the cook that you are; so I have come to be inspired by you.
Hello and thank you! How lucky you are to be able to garden all year, I missed my summer garden last year because of the drought. We were severely restricted on watering. You have a wonderful blog…you are going to hear plenty of my posts about gophers as well. We are preparing to spend most of our time up north at our second home (after the remodel); there we have gophers, and rabbits, and deer, and foxes, not to mention the occasional bear and mountain lion.
Steve has caught 21 gophers in the last few weeks. He is up to 21 now. He uses the Black Box gopher trap through Amazon. I hope that helps.
Wow! That is a lot. We have pocket gophers who are a little smaller than regular gophers. We’ve found the best traps for us are cinch traps. So far the garden has been restricted to plants that are not particularly attractive to gophers or deer, lavender and salvias and sages…the aromatic ones. But once we start planting fruit trees and vegetables they will start coming around. A deer fence is going to be a requirement. But, first the remodel and addition. I’m impatient to get started.
Wow! What an interesting story! I really enjoyed reading this! Your garden makes me a bit jealous though! 😉
Hello, well with the drought there hasn’t been much vegetable garden this past year. Sadly! Thank you for visiting.
Hello, just stumbled upon your blog! Pleased to meet you, Matina
Hello Matina, and I am pleased to find your own as well. I’ve always wanted to visit Greece. This year it will be Ireland, maybe Greece in 2017. You have a wonderful mix of posts. Thank you so much for visiting.
Hi, I really enjoy your posts. I wanted to let you know that I’ve nominated you for a Liebster Award. Theres no pressure to accept or participate but if you’re interested you can read all about it here http://thefaresage.com/2016/04/07/two-liebster-awards/ 🙂
I have huge admiration for your Master Gardener qualification. I am a terrible gardener… I try and try to grow things on my balcony but end up with shrivelled plants and a broken heart (hopefully i can pick up a few tips from your posts!). You have a lovely blog and it’s been great to ‘meet’ you through the IMK link up. Can’t wait to read more of your recipes 🙂
-Laura
You can do a lot on a balcony with even a little sun. I love to garden and there are many really talented ones among the IMK group. We have had a terrible drought here for the last few years and have been on water restrictions. That combined with working full time has limited my gardening. A few herbs would be easy and tolerant of neglect. If you are busy and the pot is large enough a watering once a week would be adequate. Rosemary and thyme are nice to have near the kitchen.